1. Field
This invention relates generally to audio applications and ultrasonic transducers, and more particularly, to a system and method for driving audio speakers and ultrasonic transducers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ultrasonic transducers have been in use for many years. During that time little change has occurred in the way they are driven. Current driving circuits are based on resonant technology that has many limitations.
Current technology depends on resonant circuits to drive ultrasonic transducers. Resonant circuits are, by definition, designed to operate in a very narrow range of frequencies. Because of this the transducer tolerances are held very tightly to be able to operate with the driving circuitry. In addition, there is no possibility of using the same driving circuit for transducers with different frequencies, and the circuit must be changed for every transducer frequency.
To drive ultrasonic transducers, a method is often required to generate frequencies with high accuracy and very high frequency shifting speed. Tank circuits have been used to address this need. Tank circuits, which comprise a particular transducer coupled to circuitry uniquely configured to work with the transducer, allow the transducer to be driven at the resonance frequency specific to the particular transducer. A draw back with prior art systems and methods is that the circuitry of the tank circuit often cannot be used with another transducer having a different resonance frequency.
There is a need for a system and method for driving any transducer regardless of the resonance frequency of the transducer. Such a system and method may drive multiple transducers each having a different frequency, thereby allowing device manufacturers to take advantage of economies of scale by implementing the same driver with various transducers having different frequencies.